English clubs were responsible for 43 per cent of global transfer activity last summer, according to a Uefa report which lays bare the impact of the pandemic on football. That the summer total was above that of any year before 2014 was down to English clubs. Some €558m went between English clubs but deals sending players from Spain, Germany and France to England were also in the top five most valuable transfer “flows”. This is not likely to continue, however, with Uefa predicting immigration changes brought about by Brexit are likely to lead English clubs to look equally at South America and Africa for recruits. In another jab at the ESL, Uefa challenges claims that the breakaway project would have given three times the money Uefa provides to clubs outside the Champions League.

Source: The Irish Times May 21, 2021 08:45 UTC